First polygamy trial in Canada starts in Cranbrook Tuesday

A trial is set to begin in Cranbrook Tuesday for a breakaway Mormon leader charged with polygamy.

Winston Blackmore of Bountiful is accused of having two dozen wives over a 25-year period.

The legal battle dates back to the early 1990s, and a lack of clarity around Canada’s polygamy laws brought the case to the B-C Supreme Court, which ruled in 2011 that the legislation does not violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

James Oler, who is also a Bountiful resident, will face trial alongside Blackmore for allegedly marrying four women between 1993 and 2009.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and the case is being heard by judge alone.

Oler was found not guilty earlier this year of removing a child from Canada in 2004 for sexual purposes.